Corn popper



Feb 6s 1923. $344,244. H. E. GROSSENBACHER.

CORN POPPER.

mw MAY 5.1921.

@mum/woz Patented Feb., i923.

HENRY E. GROSSENBACHER, 0F OVERLAND, MISSOURI.

comi rorriia' Application filed May 5, 1921. Serial No. 467,067.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, HENRY E. Grossen-Biioi'inn, a citizen of the United States, residing at QVerland, in thecounty of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new anduseful improvements in Corn Poppers; and l do declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to an improved corn popper, and it has for one ofits objects to generally improve upon devices of this class by theprovision of one of extreme simplicity and durability which ispractical, effective in operation, light in weight, easy to manipulateand possesses many features over prior patented and marketed poppers.

Another and very important object of the invention is to provide a cornpopping device embodying a novel agitator for the corn, said agitatorincluding a plurality of radial horizontally disposed stirrer-ai'msprovided at their outer ends with means for throwing the corn toward thecenter of the container to evenly distribute it over the bottom of thelatter and prevent scorching or possible burning` of the corn, alsoreducing the time required for popping the corn to a minimum.

Another and important feature and object of the invention is to providea corn popping device embodying the aforesaid type of agitator, theouter ends of the arms being laterally bent and having their extremitiesiattened and turned upwardly so as to not only accomplish the aboveresult, but also to assist in turning the corn over and over to preventpossible burning` and to help in cooking the latter in a short time.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a corn popperembodying a container and an agitator, the latter being associated withthe cover of the container in such a way as to serve as a handle for thecover, obviating the necessity of providing a special handle for thispurpose.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent Aduringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view of a corn popperconstructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the irregular line 2 2 of Fig. 1.Y

ln carrying out the invention, l employ a light-weight sheet metalcontainer 1 of suitable size and shape, the same being open at its topand a removable cover 2 being ein* ployed to close this end of thecontainer. The cover includes, as is shown, an annular depending flangeor rim 3 which extends into the upper open end of the container andsnugly fits the inner wall of the latter to hold the cover in place atall times, even when the container is shifted back and forth over there. Here, it may be stated that the cover is formed with a centralopening L1 which serves a purpose to be hereinafter described and it isequipped on its inner face with a suitable guide and bracing meinber 5which is provided with an opening 6 directly beneath the opening l, thismember 5 likewise serving a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. At thispoint, l also wish to direct attention to the fact that the container isequipped with a suitable handle 7 to assist in handling the device.While this handle may be of any other construction, I prefer to use thetype shown. The construction thereof can better be seen in Fig. 2,wherein the numeral 8 designates a sheet metal plate which has itsopposite longitudinal edge rolled as indicated, at 9, a bent wire rod 10being passed through the rolled edges and having its intermediateportion 11 extending beyond the plate to form a loop, whereby the devicemay be suspended from a nail or other support on the wall or dresser.The plate and wire are bent intermediate their ends as indicated at 12and this laterally bent portion is riveted or otherwise secured asindicated at 13 to the container. Before going further with the detaileddescription, it may be well testate that the container, as is usual, isequipped near its top or at any other suitable point, with a pluralityof circumferentially spaced air holes 14 which serve as vents, as isobvious.

As before indicated the invention in addition to embodying the partsalready described, includes a novel agitator, indicated as a whole, bythe numeral 15. This agitator in order to render it inexpensive to.manufacture and novel in construction, is made from a plurality ofwires 16 which are twisted about one another as shown to provide avertical shaft 1T which extends rotatably and slidably through theaforesaid openings 4f and (i. This shaft is bent laterally as indicatedat the points 18 and 1f), .and a wooden or other kind ot a kn'ob issecured, in any suitable way, on the letthand portion 19. Here, it is tobe pointed out that while there may be more or 4less wires, l prefer touse tive and to bend the lower ends of tour of these radially asindicated to provide spaced horizontally ei;- tending stirrer-arms Qi,lt is to be noted that these arms are ot a greater length than theradius of the container and the ends thereof are bent in the samedirection indicated at 22 to torni hooks, and the extremities ot theselaterally bent ends are `tiattened and directed upwardly as indicated at23. lWith this construction, it will -be seen that the corn will beraked inwardly toward the center ot the container when the agitator isset into rotation. Not only this, the flattened upturned ends 23 serve,to a certain extent, to turn the corn over and over to cause it to cookmore quickly and to prevent possible burning thereoll as may otherwiseoccur. As before stated, only tour ot these wires are bent to providestirrer-arms. The ren'iaining` wire is cut short and is wrapped aboutthe already twisted wires as indicated at 24 .to prevent possibleuntwisting of the other wires. lt is yet to be pointed out that theshaft 17 ot the agitator may or may not be equipped intermediate itsends with a suitable stop which serves to limit the upward sliding'movement of the shaft by coming into contact with the guide 5. Theagitator by having this limited upward movement, becomes a part of thecover and guide and is therefore removable from the container when thecover is removed. 1t will be seen that by grasping the exposed portionot the shaift in any suitable way and exerting an up ward pull, the stop25 wil be brought into contact with the guide 5 anda further pull willserve'to remove the cover. Hence, it will be seenthat the agitatorconstitutes a handle for the cover, thus obviating; the necessity oi.en'iploying a special handle would otherwise be necessary.

In use, the container l is placed over a tire or other heat formingmeansand, by use of the handle, is reciprocated in the usual way, it beingobvious that corn, is,

voi course, first placed into the container betorethis is done. Holdingthe handle 7 with one hand and grasping the knob 2O with the other hand,the agitator is rotated in the lopenings 4 and (l. In so doing', thearms 21 are scraped successively over the bottom ofthe container tossingthe corn about and throwing the greater portion thereof toward the'center ot the container. From practical experience7 l have toundoutthat by throwingthe corn toward the center, 1t becomes evenlydistributed over the bottom ot the container and there is little or nopossibility oi the same burning. Even distribution; ot course, assistsin enabling the corn to be cooked the minimum amount` oi time. Also, theupturned dat-tened ends ot the arms serving); to turn the corn over andover help in accomplishing this end. the corn is cooked to the desireddegree, the cover is removed in the way above sup` rested and the cornpoured out of the container and 'the latter is refilled and the operation repeated.

The reader wilh no doubt, by carefully considering;` the foregoing`description in connection with the drawings, be able to obtain a clearunderstanding ot the invenA tion. ln view ont this, a more lengthy anddetailed description is deemed unnecessary.

Since probably the bestresults may be obtained with the arrangementherein shown and described, this is taken as a preferred embodiment otthe invention. However, slight minor changes coming within the scope ofthe subjoined claims may be resorted to.

l claim:

1'. A corn popper comprising a container with a rotary agitator therein,said agitator being` lormed from a plurality of wires 'twisted aroundone another to provide a vertical shait, the lower ends of said wires l;bent at right angles to this sha-tt- `to provide a plurality oiradialhorizontally disposed stirrer-arms, the outer ends ot said arms being'bent to form hooks, and 'iid hooks being; tlattened horizontally withthe extremities upturned to assist in turn i1 .g the corn over and overandthrowing it toward the center when the agitator is rotated, oneoisaid wires being wrapped around the remaining twisted wires at-thejuncture of the arms and shaft to prevent untwisting ot the wires.

2. ln a Ydevice of the class described, a rotary agitator comprising avertical shaft equipped on its lower end with a plurality olt rightangularly disposed radiating arms, the outer ends ot which are bent to-forni substantially semi-circular hooks, said hooks beine; flattenedand being gradually increased in width irorn their inner to their outerends, approximately one halt ot the last named portions ot the hoolrsbeing upturned to assist'in turning the corn over and over duringtherotation of the agitator. i

ln testimony whereoic 1 have hereunto set .my hand.

HEER I E. GROSSENBACHER.

